Soot blower



2 Sheets-Sheet l LE' RGY S. DE MART' sooTr BLOWER Filed Aug. 17 1938 March 18 194k Marchl 18, 1941. LE RCY 5- DE MART 2,235,671

sooT BLOWER Filed Aug. 1'7 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 18, 1941 PATENT OFFICE S001 BLOWER Le Roy S. De Mart, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Diamond Power Specialty Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application August 17, 1938, Serial No. 225,425

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a iiuid heater cleaner of the type in which a blo-wer element is arranged to discharge cleaning iiuid adjacent the parts of a fluid heater to be cleaned.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a cleaner of the above described character which has a blower tube and discharge nozzle capable of axial movement from an inoperative or idle position in the Wall of the iiuid heater to an operating or blowing position in the fluid heater where it may be rotated about its longitudinal axis any desired number of times without further axial movement while automatically discharging the cleaning fluid, and be then withdrawn to its idle position all through a single f operating means.

It is a further feature of the invention to provide an improved method of projecting and retracting the blower element.

A third feature of the invention is to provide means for` bringing the full cleaning fluid pressure directly to the `blower head and controlling the force of the stream of cleaning `iiuid discharged into the fluid heater by the size of the inlet ports in the element tube.

Numerous other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description proceeds particularly when reference is made to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate the same parts in all Views.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a fluid heater cleaner constructed in accordance \with the teachings of my invention, in its retracted position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the fluid heater cleaner shown in Fig. l in its extended or projected position;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the fluid heater cleaner with a portion broken away to disclose the latching mechanism out of engagement with its cooperating groove;

Fig. 4 is a View in perspective of the latch ring;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the latch ring mechanism showing the latch in engagement with its cooperating groove;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical` section of another embodiment of my invention; and

Fig. '7 is a perspective View of the latch ring used with the embodiment disclosed in Fig. 6.

In `the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in all views the numeral 61 designates a wall of a fluid heater such, for example, as a boiler, there being portions of the fluid heater, such as tubes, or the like, not shown, which are adapted to be cleaned by the discharge adjacent the same of cleaning fiuid as will hereinafter be more fully apparent.

Mounted in an opening 68 in the wall 61 is a wall box B9 in which a blower nozzle 10 is mounted for rotative and longitudinal movement. This blower nozzle 10 may be of any desired construction having one or more apertures 1| through which the cleaning fluid is discharged toward the portion` of the surface tobe cleaned. The nozzle 10 is fixedly engaged as by set screws 12 10 to the element tube 13. Enclosing the element tube 13 at the end opposite the nozzle 10 is the spiral casing 14 to which the spiral 15 is intimately secured as by Welding. Spaced from the spiral casing 14 only by the bearing plate 16 and 15 gaskets 11 is the cylinder tube 18. These parts are united by the bolts 19 and together with the bracket 94 comprise a casing for the tube 13.

At the end of the cylinder tube 18 adjacent the nozzle 10, with the blower in its rest position as 20 viewed in Fig. l, is fitted a fluid chest 8U. The cylinder tube 18 and fluid chest 80 are joined together by the bolts 8| and studs 82 at the flanged connections and 89. Bearing plate 81 is held to the uid chest 8|] by the studs 83 and bolts 25 84. Gaskets 8B and the packing 89 are provided to make the bearing connection fluid tight, gasket 88a seals the connection between the fluid chest 89 and the cylinder tube 18.

Mounted for rotation with the operating shaft 3o 9U is the sheave wheel 9|. A spacer tube 90a in which the .shaft 99 rotates is fitted between bearing 92 and the hub of sheave wheel 9| and serves to limit the lateral travel of the sheave wheel 9|. The spacer tube 90 is journaled in the 35 bearings 92 and 93 which` are carried respectively by the bracket 94 and supporting arm 95 of the spiral casing 14. A chain guide 96 is suspended from the operating shaft for positioning the actuating chain (not shown). 40

Rigidly attached to the drive shaft 91 for rotation therewth is a gear wheel 98 positioned to mesh with the teeth of pinion 99 which is driven by the sheaye wheel 9| through operating shaft 9U. As shown in Figure 1, the drive shaft 91 is 45 journaled in bearing |00 which is carried by the bracket 94. Bolts lill hold the bracket 94 to the casing 14 in a relation made uid tight by the gasket |02. A thrust washer |03 is carried by the drive shaft 91 adjacent the bearing |90. 50

Positioned on the drive shaft 91 for sliding engagement therewith is the drive nut |94 which is provided with a guide pin |95. As will be apparent from Fig. 3, that portion of the drive shaft 91 within the casing 14 on which the drive nut 55 receiving the latch Id.

loll slides, is square or it may be of any desired 4shape which will hold the drive nut |013 from rotation with the shaft 97. A roller IUS at the end of guide pin |95 is designed to rotate freely about the longitudinal axis of the guide pin ||l5 to prevent any possibility of the guide pin binding in the spiral l5. The arrangement is such 'aat as the drive shaft 9i is rotated through the associated mechanism the element tube 13 and the guide pin |i5 are likewise rotated and the travel of the pin |05 in the spiral 'l5 forces the tube 'i3 outward from the cylinder tube 'i8 toward its projected position, the drive nut lili meanwhile sliding on the shaft S'I,

Located within the casing 'i4 and positioned between the spiral 'l5 and the bearing plate 'I6 is the latch ring IB'I mounted for free rotation in one direction about the element tube 73. It is important that the inside diameter of the latch ring lll'l be enough larger than the outside diameter of the element tube 'i3 that there will be no friction between them as the element tube is revolves.

To receive the guide pin |535 as it leaves the spiral 'I5 a notch |63 is out out of the latch ring |97, The no-tch |528 is so designed that as the guide pin m5 moves into 'it the latch ring itl is made to revolve with the continued movement of the drive shaft Sl in the same direction, but

if the direction of rotation of the drive shaft 9i' is reversed the pin W5 is guided back into the spiral and continued movement of the drive shaft di in this reverse direction results in the blower tube 'E3 being retracted to its idle position.

In order to prevent the latch ring lill from simply revolving in the .reverse direction when it is desired to retract the element tube i3 to its idle position a latch |39 is provided in the cylinder I Id which is located in the wall of casing M. A spring III held by the threaded plug ||2 urges the latch lil@ into constant but eXible engagement with the latch ring |81. Cut into the wall of the latch ring lill is a groove ||3 for The groove ||3 is cut with one abrupt edge, perpendicular to the periphery of the ring lill, and the other edge sloping gradually to the periphery of the ring |01. Thus when the direction of rotation is the same as that required to project the element tube 'i3 the latch IES will ride on the periphery of the latch ring, snap over the abrupt edge of the groove i3, and slide back to the periphery of the latch ring |67 as often as it is rotated in this direction. Should the latch ring I'I be rotated in the opposite direction, the latch HB9 immediately abuts against the perpendicular edge of the groove IIS, the ring |01 is locked against further rotation in this direction and the guide pin is free to move into the spiral l5. As shown in Fig. 5 the arrangement of parts must be such that when the latch I |19 is in locking engagement With the groove IIS the notch m8 will be so positioned as regards the end of the spiral 'I5 that the guide pin |85 may pass readily from the one to the other.

It will be readily apparent that inasmuch as the latch ring IO'I cannot move laterally when the guide pin It is in driving engagement with it, the tube 'i3 and hence the nozzle 'lll rotate without any forward progress or further axial movement. lThus it will be seen that the blowing operation is confined to a single plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the element tube.

As shown in Fig. 2, it is further arranged that as the guide pin It moves into the latch ring |01 the ports I4 of the tube 'I3 move into communication with the ports H5 of the cylinder tube 'I3 which open directly into the fluid chest and the cleaning iluid contained in the uid chest 8@ thus ows into the element tube 'I3 and is discharged through the apertures ll. As the element tube 'F3 is retracted ports lIll move away from ports I|5 and the supply of cleaning fluid is out oiT. Inasrnuch as the fluid chest 8l) carries the full cleaning fluid pressure any desired reduction of pressure must be determined by the size of ports IM and ||5. A seal disc IIS set in the element tube 'i3 prevents the cleaning fluid from filling that part of the element tube 'I3 farthest from the nozzle 'I0 and piston ring |I'l prevents the leakage of cleaning fluid between the element tube 13 and the cylinder tube 'I8 until the rings I Il' pass the edge of the ports 5 in fluid chest 8|).

It is sometimes desirable or necessary to have a nozzle which will travel longitudinally without rotation until it reaches its blowing position where it may be rotated about the axis of the element tube and then withdrawn without further rotation. An optional form of my invention for accomplishing this end is shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

This embodiment of my invention differs from that above described in the provision of a guide tube |20 having a longitudinal keyway |2|. The tube |28 is welded or iiXedly secured in any suitable manner to the casing 'I4 and has an inside diameter capable of receiving the element tube 'I3 in sliding engagement. A guide pin |06A fixed to the element tube 'I3 has a portion |22 extending into the longitudinal keyway |2| and a portion |23 residing between the helical coils of spiral A which is xedly secured to the driveshaft 91.

With the element tube 'I3 in its retracted position rotation of the drive shaft 9'I in a counterclockwise direction results in a similar movement of the spiral 15A. This movement of the spiral '15A is imparted through the portion |23 to the pin IilSA. Ina-smuch as the extended portion |22 in the keyway |2| prevents rotation the pin IBSA and the attached element tube 'I3 are forced outwardly from the casing l'd. At the end of its travel in the keyway |2| the portion |22 passes into the notch H28A of the latch .ring ||)'|A and continued movement of the drive shaft 91 results in rotation of the nozzle without further longitudinal movement of the element tube 'I3 or nozzle 'l2 as previously described. The latching arrangement for effecting withdrawal of the element tube to its inoperative position is identical to that of the rst described form excepting for the shape of the pin receiving notch IBA in the latch ring lille. The notch |023A is formed as an extension of the keyway |2| and may conveniently be U-shaped as shown in Fig. 7.

To cool the element tube 'f3 when it is standing in its idle position a line H8 from a suitable source of Huid under pressure as, for example, air is tapped into the cylinder tube 'i3 so as to communicate with the ports IM. Thus there is a constant flow of cooling iiuid through that part of the element tube 'I3 nearest the boiler and through the nozzle when the device is in its inoperative position. As the element tube 'I3 moves into the operating position the ports I4 move away from the line ll and the cooling fluid is cut 01T by the walls of the element tube 13. The sliding surfaces of the element tube 'I3 and the cylinder tube 78 may be lubricated by grease cups H9 provided at convenient points in the cylinder tube 18. i

Thus it will be seen thatI have provided a boiler `cleaner capable of being moved axially from an idle to an operating position and there rotated about its longitudinal axis in an arc of any desired number of degrees, wherein the full cleaning fluid pressure is carried to the element tube and there reduced to the desired blowing pressure by ports in the element tube. I have further provided improved means for placing the boiler cleaner in its blowing position and for subsequently withdrawing it to its rest position, and means for cooling the element tube and nozzle while in the idle position.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a fluid heater cleaner, a casing housing, a movable blower tube, means for moving said blower element to a predetermined position outwardly of said casing and there rotating said tube about its longitudinal axis through any desired number of rotations, said means comprising cooperating guide members causing longitudinal and rotative movements of said tube under manual actuation, said members disengaging after a predetermined longitudinal travel, a third member freely rotatable in one direction with which one of said guide members engages upon disengagement with the other of said guide members,

means restraining said third member against rotation in reverse direction, and means causing disengagement of said third member and the guide member with which it engages and automatic re-engagement of said guide members upon reversal of said manual actuation.

2. In a fluid heater cleaner, a casing housing, a movable blower tube, means for moving said blower element to a predetermined position outwardly of said casing and there rotating said tube aboutV its longitudinal axis through any desired number of rotations, said means comprising cooperating guide members causing longitudinal land rotative movements of said tube under manual actuation, one of said guide members comprising a stationary spirally grooved member, the other guide member comprising a rotatable element connected to said tube and having a radial pin extending into the spiral groove in such manner that rotation of the element causes longitudinal movement of the element and tube, said pin being adapted to disengage from said spiral groove after a predetermined longitudinal travel, a third member freely rotatable in one direction with which said pin engages upon disengagement with the spiral groove, means restraining said third member against rotation in reverse direction, and means causing disengagement of said pin and third member and automatic re-engagement of said pin with said spiral groove upon reversal of rotation of said rotatable element.

3. In a fluid heater cleaner, a casing housing, a movable blower tube, means for moving said blower element to a predetermined position outwardly of said casing and there rotating said tube about its longitudinal axis through any desired number of rotations, said means comprising cooperating guide members causing longitudinal and rotative movements of said tube under manual actuation, said members disengaging after a predetermined longitudinal travel, a ring freely rotatable in one direction and having means for the reception of one of said guide members upon disengagement of said one guide member with the other guide member, said means including means for causing automatic restoration of said one guide means with the other guide means upon relative rotation of the guide means and ring in a reverse direction, and means for restraining reverse rotation of said ring whereby the guide means rotates reversely relative thereto upon reverse actuation of said guide means. 5

`i. In a fluid heater cleaner, a casing housing, a mov-able blower tube, means for moving said blower element to a predetermined position outwardly of said casing and there rotating said tube about its longitudinal axis through any desired number of rotations, said means comprisingcooperating guide members causing longitudinal and rotative movements of said tube under manual actuation, one of said guide members comprising a stationary spirally grooved member, the other guide member comprising a rotatable element connected to said tube and having a radial pin extending into the spiral groove in such manner that rotation of the element causes longitudinal movement of the element and tube, said pin being adapted to disengage from said spiral groove after a predetermined longitudinal travel, a ring freely rotatable in one direction and having a notch with which said pin engages upon disengagement with the spiral groove, means restraining rotation of said ring in .a reverse direction, and said notch having a wall so shaped to cause disengagement of said pin therewith and automatic re-engagement of said pin with said spiral groove upon reversal of rotation of said rotatable element.

5. In combination, a casing having an internal spiral groove, a drive shaft rotatable in said housing, a nut slidably and non-rotatively mounted on said drive shaft and having a pin extending radially therefrom into said groove in such manner that rotation of the shaft causes rotation and longitudinal movement of the nut, an element tube connected to said nut for rotation and longitudinal movement therewith, said element tube having a discharge nozzle and means for supplying cleaning fluid thereto, said pin being adapted to ride from the end and disengage the spiral groove after a predetermined longitudinal travel thereof, a member freely rotatable in one direction with which said pin engages upon disengagement with the spiral groove, means restraining rotation of said member in reverse direction, and means causing disengagement of said member and pin and automatic re-engagement of the pin with the groove upon reversal of rotation of said shaft.

6. In combination, a casing having an internal spiral groove, a drive shaft rotatable in said housing, a nut slidably and non-rotatively mounted on said drive shaft and having a pin extending radially therefrom into said groove in such manner that rotation of the shaft causes rotation and longitudinal movement of the nut, an element tube connected to said nut for rotation and longitudinal movement therewith, said element tube having a discharge nozzle and means for supplying cleaning fluid thereto, said pin being adapted to ride from the end and disengage Ithe spiral groove after a predetermined longitudinal travel thereof, a ring freely rotatable in one direction and having means for reception 0f said pin upon disengagement thereof with said groove, said means including means for causing automatic restoration of said pin with said spiral groove upon relative rotation of the nu-t and ring in reverse direction, and means for restraining reverse rotation of the ring whereby the nut rotates reversely relative thereto upon reverse rotation of the shaft.

7. In combination, a casing having an internal spiral groove, a drive shaft rotatable in said housing, a nut slidably and non-rotatively mounted on said drive shaft `and having a pin extending radially therefrom into said groove in such manner that rota-tion of the shaft causes rotation and longitudinal movement of the nut, an element tube connected to said nut for rotation and longitudinal movement therewith, said element tube having a discharge nozzle and means for supplying cleaning fluid thereto, said pin being adapted to ride from the end and disengage the spiral groove after a predetermined longitudinal travel thereof, a ring freely rotatable in one direction and having a notch with which said pin engages upon disengagement with said spiral groove, means for restraining reverse rotation of said ring, and cam-like means for causing disengagement of .the pin Wi-th the notch and automatic reengagement of the pin With the spiral groove upon reversal of rotation of the shaft relative to the ring.

LE ROY S. DE MART. 

